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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wind · hide · toast · firm · craft · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. firm — decided
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. toast — bread
  11. firm — steady
  12. wind — moving air
  13. firm — a company
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wind — moving air
  16. craft — boats
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. lash — a whip stroke

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com